Fan



Dec. 11, 1945'.

J. A. HECKMAN FAN Filed Oct. 25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FAN Fi-led Oct.25, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 11, 1945 FAN John A. Heckman,Elmhurst, Ill., assignor to James F. Barnes, as trustee ApplicationOctober 25, 1943, Serial No. 507,527

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a fan, and more particularly to a new andimproved type of ventilating fan.

An object of the invention is to provide a sturdy construction for aventilating fan in which vibration is minimized. Another object is toprovide a fan adapted to be used in rectangular openings or in arectangular housing and which occupies a minimum of space. Still anotherobject is to provide a fan of relatively small depth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a low speed fan ofunusually high emciency. A further object is to provide a highlyeffective drive construction for imparting rotation to the fan from themotor or other source of power so as to rotate the fan at a speedsubstantially slower than the rotation of the motor and at the same timeto eliminate belt drives and the difiiculties normally encountered inthe use of such belt drives.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ventilating fan in whichthe fan blades are supported at the periphery thereof. Yet anotherobject is to provide a fan construction in which a motor for operatinthe fan is disposed outside the periphery of the fan blades. A furtherobject is to provide a fan which is resiliently mounted and which isdriven by a frictional drive engaging the outer periphery thereof. Stillanother object is to provide in a rectangular housing a circular fanwith an actuating motor disposed radially beyond the periphery of thefan andwithin one of the corners of the housing.

Other features and advantages will appear from the followingspecification and drawings, in which- Fig. l is a front elevational viewof the fan;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along is mounted.

In the embodiment of the invention described herein, a substantiallyrectangular housing l supports a plurality of rollers II, l2, l3 and I4within the housing. Preferably, as shown, the rollers are disposed atthe four corners of the housing. A casing l5 of a substantially circularperiphery is supported at spaced portions of the periphery thereof byengagement with the rollers H, l2, l3 and 14. To the inner surface ofthe periphery are attached a plurality of fan blades l6, ll, l8 and 19,each of which is supported at its periphery by the casing l5. The bladesextend inwardly from spaced portions of the periphery of the casing l5and are secured to each other at their inner ends 20, 2|, 22 and 23.

The housing I0 is preferably of sheet metal and may be of any suitableor desired construction. As illustrated, the housing may besubstantially rectangular in shape, with the forward and rear cornersmounted as at 24. A pair of flaps 25 and 26 may be supported on oppositesides of the housing I0 by the hinges 2'1 and 28 respectively. The flaps25- and 26 are adapted to be swung outwardly to the position shown inFig. 1 to cover a maximum area, or may be swung forwardly into a planetransverse to the main plane of the housing so as to cover a minimumarea. In this manner, the housing 10 may be placed in an opening, suchas a window, and by swinging the flaps 25 and 26 to the desired positionthe housing may be used to fill openings of slightly different width.

Shafts 29 and 30, upon which the rollers I3 and 12 ar mounted, may alsosupport straps 3i and 32 respectively, which in turn are secured to amounting bracket 33. The bracket 33 may include a tubular section 34havin tubular extensions 35 and. 36 telescopically and adjustablyreceived in the ends thereof. Lock nuts 3! and 38 may be used to fix theextensions 35 and 36 in a predetermined position. By means of theadjustability of the extensions 35 and 36, the fan may be supported in awindow or other opening of a width varying according to the length ofthe extensions. Thus, the extensions may be moved telescopically intothe tubular member 33 and then extended between the surfaces which areto support the fan.

As seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, the rollers l3 and lll'may besupported within the housing in any suitable manner. The roller [3,which is shown in detail in Fig. 3, may be mounted on a shaft 29 whichis supported by the brackets 40 and 4! mounted on the wall of thehousing to. The shaft may be provided with a portion 42 of reduceddiameter forming a shoulder 43 against which a sleeve 44 may bereceived. A nut 65, threadedly received on the shaft 29, may be used totighten the sleeve 42 against the shoulder 33. The sleeve 44 may befixed in position on the reduced portion 42 of the shaft 29. A bearingrace 46 extends about the sleeve 44 and. is rotatable thereupon. Anannular rim 4'! is received in fixed position on the bearing 46 and isequipped with flanges 48 and 49 extending radially outwardly andreceiving therebetween the roller 50 which may be of a resilientmaterial,

such as rubber. A rivet 5i secures the roller 58 to the flanges 48 and49.

The roller 50 rotates freely about the shaft 29 and is removablysupported thereon. When the roller is to be removed, the nuts 52 and 53may be removed from the shaft 29, and the nut 45 may also be removed.The roller assembly, including the sleeve :32, the bearing race 46 andthe rim M, as well as the rollertii, may then be removed from the shaft29.

The roller is may be of a construction similar to the roller l3 exceptthat a motor 54 is mounted on the housing It to rotate the shaft onwhich the roller I4 is mounted. A'suitable bracket 55, at-

tached to the housing It, may support the motor 5%. The drive shaft ofthe motor may extend through the roller M to support the same.

The other rollers H and I2 may correspond in construction to the rolleris and need not bedescribed in detail herein.

tin it yl nd i al n h pe an s P id d at h forwa d n thereof wi h n a 'll l ee ee rq ive h oove s a t e eeeive the per phe a eas of ac f hllera. t 12, it. and ii Whie t a su p rt t ea e ing L; for rotationwithin the housing. The pei heral e ges f he a blades t. I 8 and la be.secured to the inner surface of the peri her' e the e in i in an su t lor d 'e sire m hhe imi a l t e t l po o or ends at). 2. .2- an 2a or theblad s may e ee reel o. aehethe n a y si m Prefe abl s illust ated. thebl des re p d substanti ll uni r o t he periphery f h ea i Eaeh bl de ayh f a onve ion l eohe rue eh as t the b dy thereof, but dif ers freznconventional blades by the mounting thereof at th out peripher o t la ndy t attachment at the inner portion thereof to the t er bla e As seenparticularly in Fig. 2-, foraminous sheets 51, and 58 m y be, securedto, the front and rear walls of the housing it. so, as to provide aclosed housing to permit'the ready flow of air therethrough. Anysuitable, type of screen may be. used, although as illustratedv a ratherheavy screen, of foraminous metal sheet is to be pre: ferred.

In operation, the motor 5.5, by rotating the shaft on which the rollerI4 is mounted, produces rotation, of the roller 14. The, roller Hi,being resilient and being in engagement, at its periph-. eral edge withthe groove 55. in the casing I5, provides a friction drive for thevcasing I5 and produces rotation of the casing. The rollers ll, [2. andI3, serve as idling rollers and support the casing. for, rotation. Byreason of the use of a resilient material in the rollers ll, l2, l3 andhi, the. casing and the. fan blades therein are resilientlyfmounted andvibration of the unit is minimized.

The motor, as, seen in Fig. 2, is disposed to the rear of the roller Hiand is mounted in one corner of; the housing Lit, Since the groovewithin which the roller M, is received is at the forward end of theaeiha t e meter, .4 in a g nt with the body. ofthe casing i5 and theentire unit is Ora substantially uniform thickness or depth and of, arninimum of thickness or depth, The screens 51: and 53 by closing thehousing providev a safety construction and yet do not interfere with thelion? of air through. the fan.

Thev ht la ns an is, particularly adap d to. befrnounted in a'rectangular opening, suchasa, window. As stated, the opening in whichthe fan may be mounted may be of any width between the Width of thehousing itself and the width of the housing plus the width of the flaps25 and 26.

Resilient blocks 59 and 68 of rubber or the like serve to support thebase of the housin In on the bottom wall of the aperture. By reason ofthe mounting construction shown, the extensions 35 and 36 may be used tosecure the fan in an opening of the width referred to.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment, it will be apparent that modifications and changes may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1. YA ventilating fan comprising a circular casing, a plurality ofresilient rollers disposed in spaced relation about said casing andengaging the spaced portions of the periphery thereof, said casing beingsupported by said rollers for rotation about, the central axis thereof,one of said rollers being arranged in frictional drive relation with theperiphery of said casing whereby rotation of the roller producesrotation of the casi means for rotating said last-mentioned roller, anda plu-.

rality of fan blades mounted in spaced relation about the inner surfaceof the periphery of said casing and extend ng radially inwardlytherefrom.

2 A ventilating fan comprising a circular casing, a plurality of rollersmounted in spaced relation about the periphery of" said casing andengaging the same, said casing being supported by said rollers forrotation about the central axis. of the casing, one of said rollersbeing arranged in frictional drive relation with the periphery of thecasing whereby rotation of the roller produces rotation of the casing,means. for rotating said lastmentioned roller, and a plurality of fanblades mounted in substantially uniformly-spaced rela-v tion about theinner surface of the periphery of said casing and extending radiallyinwardly therefrom, said fan blades being secured to. each other at :theinner radial ends, thereof.

3. A ventilating fan comprising a circular casing, a, plurality ofrollers mounted in spaced relation about the periphery ofsaid casing anden-. gaging said periphery to. rotatably' support the casing, a housingreceiving said rollers and sup: porting the same, said casing beingsupported by said rollers for rotation about the axis of the casing, atleast one of said rollers being arranged in frictional'drive relationwith the periphery. of aid casing whereby rotation of the roller.produces rotation of the casing, 21. motor carried. by said housing forrotating said last-mentioned roller, and a plurality of fan bladesmounted on the inner surface. of the "periphery of said. casing andtendin dial y nward y theref sa d fan ades e ns e ed to, aeh th at thenner radial ends thereof.

4. A ventilating fan comprising a cylindrical casing, said casingvbeingequipped with an annular groove at the forward endthere of, ahousing, receiving said casing, a plurality of rollers. o t d. ai hou inand r ah ed pace re atio about the pe i he yer said. casing, each. Q aio lers endin o-saidsrqa e to supp t he asin at, leas n of said r l ersbein resilient and being arranged in frictional drive relation with thecasing whereby rotation of e ro r redue e etat e o the a n means or otaing. a dl st-ment oned r le and v plural.-v yef' ah. lad v m unted onthe inner surface of the periphery of said casing and extending radiallyinwardly therefrom, said fan blades being secured to each other at theinner radial ends thereof.

5. A ventilating fan comprising a circular casing, a plurality ofresilient rollers disposed about the periphery of said casing andengaging the same to support the casing, said casing being supported forrotation about the central axis thereof,

a housing for receiving said casing and for supporting said rollers, oneof said rollers being ar- 7 ranged in frictional drive relation with theperiphery of said casing whereby rotation of the roller produces arotation of the casing, a motor carried by said housing and disposedradially outwardly of the periphery of said casin said motor being insubstantial alignment with the body of said casing, and a plurality offan blades mounted in substantially uniformly-spaced relation on theinner surface of the periphery of said casing and extending radiallyinwardly therefrom, said fan blades being secured to each other at theinner radial ends thereof.

6. A ventilating fan comprising a circular casing, a plurality ofresilient rollers disposed in

